The Doctor's Daughter- A New Lease of Life
by StarkyGirl
Summary: Ella is now travelling with her newly found father but things are still lurking in the shadows. An old enemy that was once forgotten has awoken and it seems the Doctor's troubles have only just begun. Can he save his 'mortal' daughter or will the surprises of the family erupt into something worse? (I do not own Doctor Who, just own Ella-Marie Stark and Pandora Lockhart)


Four months, it had felt like a longer period of time but it really was just four months that she had been travelling with the Doctor, her recently acclaimed father. Her fingers drummed against the console as her eyes were dead set on the scanner screen before her. Her father peered round the console at her, brow furrowed as he noted how she stared at the scanner. Not once had she asked to do anything on the scanner before, so when she had, he had made sure to keep track of everything she searched for.

Ella tapped another key, brow furrowed at the screen. Yet again the results showed up that she was human, a one hearted human but yet the DNA test had declared that in fact, The Doctor and her were related and were father and daughter. A small sigh escaped her as the DNA lines entwined on the screen, connecting the matching parts. Finally she stood up fully and ran a hand through her hair before noting her father staring at her, "What?"  
The Doctor shook his head and hid back behind the console. Ella knew something was up, that he was watching her every move, every reaction to the scanner. She let out a soft sigh, returning back to the screen. Again the familiar sound of keys tapping echoed out again, Ella now set on a different task.

The words on the screen typed out the name 'Spencer Reid,' Ella frowned and waited for what would come up.  
'Human. Died aged nineteen. Lived in London 1992-2012. Cause of death: Train wreck.' Her fingers were tapping, the need to change the cause of death to murder. Deep down she was still angry, still hateful towards the people that caused her to loose so much. The reminder to not be angry hovered in front of her though, acting like an invisible barrier that prevented her from breaking time. Asking her father to go back and save Spencer had always been a no right from the day they met. It was fixed, it was written into the very DNA of time and unchangeable, there was no fighting it, no way round it…no loop holes.

The cold blade of her knife tapped against her leg as it rested in its hold on her belt. Her fingers slipped down to the hilt of it, curling round it and squeezing tightly. "Ella?" Her father was staring at her again, slight worry on his face. Ella's gaze snapped onto her father, "Yes?" She spoke harshly, the thought that he wouldn't help bring Spencer back was still in her mind. "Everything ok?" He scooted round to her side and placed a hand on hers that rested upon the console. "I'm fine Doctor…" She paused then corrected herself, "…Dad." The Doctor noted she was struggling with the new change, even he found it hard to accept change, to accept losses in life.

He smiled kindly at her, "You do not look it." Ella glanced up at him and sighed.  
"Dad, I just want him back, I want to see those green eyes of his and that smile. I want to be able to laugh and giggle at his silliness… I want to see him again." She turned her gaze back to the screen, the picture of Spencer staring back at her. The Doctor squeezed her hand a little, "I know Ella but I can't change your past, I can't stop him from dying, you and I both know that." A tear slipped down Ella's cheek at her father's words. "Dad, look at me, I'm just human, just a girl who misses someone… Surely it is do able?"  
It broke his hearts to see her so hurt, so broken. Even though they were close friends when they met, he had always known there was some form of emotional connection between them, he felt her sadness. "You know we can't Ella, we've tried and look what happened… we tore a hole in the very seams of time." He tried to console her, tried to show her that it was just not possible. "I can let you go see him, watch him from afar…"

Ella snatched her hand back from him, turning her back to the Doctor, "I don't want to see him from afar, I want to be able to talk to him again, feel his fingers against my cheek…" Her own fingers brushed against her scarred cheek, wiping away a tear. In a sudden instant, she turned to him, her blue eyes darker than normal. "You have this damn box and all you can do is save everyone else but Spencer?! You useless man, you worthless, uncaring father!" Her hand had pulled out her dagger, the girl clearly unaware of her own actions.

The Doctor stepped back, seeing River had gotten to her feet and out of the shadows of the corner of the room, "Ella, you need to calm down." River called out but it seemed she had no effect on her daughter. Ella snarled a little, her father stepping backwards, eyes glued to the knife in her hand. "Ella, please do not do this, this isn't you!" The Doctor begged her, his hands rose in defence. River silently came up behind Ella in order to remove the knife from her hand; she was too late though for Ella had heard her creep across the room. Ella turned round, a punch swinging at her mother. River went flying, landing not far from her husband's feet. He glanced down at River then back up at Ella, noting her eyes were already black, that wasn't right, that was "Not possible." He murmured softly as he stared up at Ella with wide eyes. Ella's English accent became a broad Irish one, "Why won't you just help me?!" Tears slipped down her cheeks, as she threatened the man that stood before her, all she wanted was for him to save Spencer.

The Doctor glanced back at River, the gun in her belt and so close to him. He couldn't bring himself to do it though, to threaten his little girl with a gun. He had only got her back, if she was just human then shooting her could potentially kill her and he did not want to bare witness to that.  
"Ella, it's a fixed point. If you save him then time will fall apart, you won't know me, River. You'd have never met Tony, your brother you love so dearly. What about Tilly, Slejpner. All those people you found because you lost Spencer?"  
His reassurance forced Ella into an angrier state. "They won't love me like Spencer did! He understood me; he saved me from my own foolishness!" With every word she stepped closer, anger just spilling from her.

The Doctor had no where else to go, he was pinned against the wall, a blade ready to tear him open. "Ella, listen to me… please!" The blade came slicing down on him; he yelped and dived to his left in order to avoid it. "Ella-Marie Stark!" The only time he called her that was when he was a little angry with her, Ella-Marie Pond on the other hand was when he was in a state of pure and utter anger. Ella snarled, her knife stabbing at the air as her father moved, stumbling backwards and landing on the floor. She smirked, black eyes glaring down upon him, "I have you now…" She murmured, however she did not expect her father to grasp River's gun.

The gun was instantly raised towards Ella, aiming for the centre of her head. "You won't do it, you can't do it." She smirked at him, fingers clasping the blade even tighter. "You're the Doctor, you do have mercy and you have faith and hope…" She chuckled softly, unaware of River coming round and groaning softly, "I don't want to do it but I will if I need to do so…"  
River opened her eyes, sitting up in a flash to see her gun in the Doctor's hand, "Doctor, no!"  
His hand trembled slightly, fighting back angry tears as he held the gun in the air. Ella smirked, staring right down the barrel of the gun, the gun that would bring about a disastrous consequence. "Tick… Tock… Doctor…" Ella raised the knife high, her foot taking a step closer to him. River panicked, "Ella, enough! This is not his fault!"  
The Doctor had no choice, he could sense the immanent danger that was about to be forced upon him. "Before you swing, before even take a slash at me… who are you…" There was something else inside of Ella, something dark and vicious, something animalistic. Ella smirked even more than she had done to start with; it had been awhile since that question was asked. "I am Pandora Lockhart, and I am death!" The blade swung down upon the Doctor, River went to grab the gun from him, she couldn't let him shoot Ella.

The Doctor grinned a little; at least he had a name now, "Thank you…" He mumbled, pulling the trigger just as River reached out to grab the gun. Ella's body jerked, she froze in mid attack as her eyes trailed down to her chest to find a bullet hole had cleanly entered her heart and passed out the back, blood splatter to follow as it plastered the TARDIS roundels behind her. The knife clattered to the floor, the young girl taking a few stumbling steps back as the blood began to seep out of her wound. The world became muffled as the Doctor tried to process what he had done, what he had caused. "I'm so sorry…" He whispered as River scrambled to her feet from his side, rushing over to Ella as the girl collapsed, her eyes on her father the whole time.  
"You… you shot me…" Her fingers grasped her chest, the orange tinged blood soaking her blue shirt. It was like watching juice spread across a surface after it had been spilt, soaking into every crack and crease that it could find. River caught her daughter in her arms as Ella fell forward, coughing and spluttering on her own blood. "Do something!" River screamed at her husband, seeing him still and silent on the floor, the gun slipping to the hard metal beneath him. "Doctor!" He was unresponsive, not listening to a word River was saying as he simply sat there and stared at the chaos he had caused.

River Laid Ella down on her back, brushing the hair back from her daughter's face, the ends of her hair trailing in the blood on her lips. "Sweetie, it'll be ok… shhh, mummy's here." River stroked Ella's cheek, tears in her eyes. Ella's big blue eyes beamed up at her mother, almost glazed over and dead. "I… I can't feel my arm… I can't feel my arm." She stumbled over words, trying to speak to her mother; she was so terrified of dying. "I'm sorry… Sorry."  
"Sweetie, Ella, its ok. Save your energy." Those were the last words Ella would hear as her eyes slipped shut, her breathing ragged before it finally came to a halt. "No… Ella… Ella!" River leaned over her daughter, grasping her closely. How cruel fate was that it had given back her daughter for such a short amount of time before stealing her from her again.

The Doctor slowly but surely crawled over to the pair of them, his hand reaching out to Ella's once silky brown hair. "Ella…" He whispered as he finally knelt at her other side, watching River holding onto her daughter so tightly.  
"We need to get her outside, give her space to breathe." His wife barely even moved as she rocked her daughter in her arms. "River… please we need to get her outside!" It wasn't for the air though, he was so sure that she would do the spectacular thing and regenerate. "River!" She glanced up at him, seeing the stern look on his face.  
"You… you shot her." She hissed at him, glancing back down at Ella as her pale, sleeping daughter lay before her. "Give me her so I can take her outside," The Doctor begged his wife to listen, to let him do this.

He reached over Ella and grabbed River's arm, his thumb stroking her soft skin, "Please…" River finally let go of Ella, allowing the Doctor to gently slip his arms under his daughter's lifeless body and haul her up and off the floor. Leaving River to dwell on what had just happened in the TARDIS console room, he wandered over to the door, pulled it open with a small struggle before heading outside. Luckily they had anchored ship in the forest of Desorale, the fifth planet in the Turner Ray solar system. The sun beat down between tree branches, the forest floor doused in a blanket of soft silk leaves that would fall from the silk trees that surrounded him. He knelt down and placed Ella on the leafy floor, his fingers brushing hair from her face and blood from her lips. "I am so sorry Little Pond." He kissed her forehead and sat back from her, knees pulled to his chest and prayed something would happen.

It felt like hours had passed, the Doctor glancing at the watch on his wrist once more before following it up by running his hands through his floppy, brown hair. A wispy sound spread across the forest floor, a pale golden glow forming at the finger tips of Ella's hands, the Doctor shot up, eyes wide as he took in the sight. It was odd to finally see someone else regenerate other than him, to see how painful it was from this position. Ella's fingers curled up, her back arched as the painful process of the DNA swapping pairings had begun. The golden glow grew stronger, a sudden beacon of light within the woods that they sat in, Ella's scream of agonising pain echoing out, disturbing any creatures hiding in the shadows. "Ella… Ella it is ok, it'll be ok!" He tried to calm her as the energy spread to her face, it pained him to think she was to change faces because he knew she'd not be able to accept such. Finally the burst of energy became blinding, the Doctor had to cover his eyes in order to protect them.

The screams of his daughter died out, the golden energy now fading out to a soft shimmer in the sun setting landscape. The Doctor was still for a moment, hunting for signs of life from his daughter as she lay still on the floor. He was amazed to see her face the same, her hair still long and brown… still so curly. The Doctor smiled, grateful for this one tiny miracle. He made her way to Ella's side, his fingers gently stroking her cheek, "Come on little Pond, breathe for me." And that Ella did, her mouth open as she gasped for air, her fingers grasping at the woodland flooring as she tried to process where she was. The Doctor grabbed Ella's hand, reassuring her she was ok and safe with him. "Hey… look who's still here!" He chuckled softly, smiling down at her.

Ella glanced up at him, those blue eyes beaming up at him.

"D-dad…" Ella's voice cracked a little, her fingers curled around his fingers, she felt achy but it was nothing she could not handle. "Hey, hey just rest ok." The Doctor leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently. "I… I just want to know… am I ginger?" He paused, glancing down at her with raised eyebrows. Had she really asked that? The same question he would ask on most occasions. He always wanted ginger hair but to hear it from Ella's mouth made him laugh. "No you're not little Pond, still just brown, scar free though!" He tapped her cheek, grinning like the mad man that he was. Ella was relieved that she was scar free now; it meant she was free from the stares, free from being tarred by the markings of Hydra.

"I'm sorry dad… sorry for my actions." Ella gazed up at him; her body felt like it was on fire from the aftermath of the regeneration. "It's ok Ella, let's get you inside yea?" He helped her to sit up, letting her rest in a sitting position before getting her to her feet. However they were not out of the woods yet, literally. Ella's legs buckled beneath her; thankfully her father had caught her just in time as pain seared through her chest. Her fist instantly began to thump against the right side of her chest, "It hurts… my heart!" She cried out in pain. The Doctor's eyes widened, she had a second heart?! How did the TARDIS not pick up on this?

"Stay calm, you just need a shock ok?!" He kept her on her feet, making sure she wouldn't pass out. His eyes gazed round, trying to see something that would shock her. "Damn it!" The Doctor was going to regret his next move. He let go of her, seeing that she was able to stand alone long enough for him to thump her in the chest on the left before doing the same to her back in the same area. Ella stood up straight, hissing from the thump before letting out a deep sigh. "That's better… thank you." She turned to her father to see him hiding behind his hands, ready for a punch back. "Idiot," She chuckled softly, grasping one of his hands. "Dad I'm ok." The Doctor glanced up as she grabbed his hand, smiling a little. "You are…?" He pulled her a little closer to him, reaching out and gently poking her cheek. Yep, pretty real. He then placed his hand on her cheek, thumb stroking her skin. "My Little Pond…" He whispered. Behind them the door swung open, River in the door way. The Doctor glanced up, "See, you should trust me River." He chuckled softly as River made her way over, grabbing Ella and hugging her tightly. Ella hugged her mother back; face buried in River's shoulder, "My baby girl…" She whispered, stroking Ella's hair.

The moment was perfect for just a few seconds because Ella would soon be slumping to the floor, her nails digging in her chest as she tried to breathe. River also fell to the floor, kneeling over Ella, "Sweetie… what is it?!"  
The Doctor scrambled to Ella's side, pulling out his sonic screwdriver and scanning his daughter. He flicked the sonic back up t his face, a little shocked by the results. River furrowed her brow at him as he studied his sonic. "Well?!" She demanded, feeling Ella grasp and tug at her top. "It's telling me she has two hearts!" The Doctor flailed, the sonic being shook in his hand. "But you said she had one!"  
"I was lying!" He hissed back at River, trying to think of something, the chaos unfolding before him. He finally smacked his sonic against his head, "How could I be so stupid?!" He leaned forward and kissed River on the forehead before glancing down at Ella. "I'm so sorry about this Little Pond." His fist came hurtling towards her chest, thumping her on the right side. All she needed was a shock, something to kick start her second heart. Ella gasped, snarling and hissing at him, "Damn it!"

River's eyes were wide but she knew this was needed but this was not good enough. "Adrenaline injection, there is one back in the TARDIS!" River scrambled to her feet, rushing into the blue box to fetch it. The Doctor held his daughter in his arms, the sight of her was so mixed because it was a beautiful sight to see her alive and kicking yet there was the chance she was dying which made things so dark. "It's ok, Pond… daddy has you…" He tried to hold her down in case her body went into a fit, leaving her vulnerable to harm. "River, hurry up!" He had now noted Ella's lips were going blue, her air being cut off because the blood was just not pumping quickly enough. River finally came rushing out the blue box, stumbling to Ella's side. She didn't even warn the pair of them as she shoved the needle straight into Ella's chest, allowing the clear liquid pulse through her veins.  
Finally Ella fell limp once more, her gasping now the only thing that could be heard in the silence of the forest. The Doctor gently stroked her forehead, holding her close.

After half an hour, letting Ella come to and feeling much better than she was, her eyes trailed up to he father's as he peered down at her. "Hey dad…" She murmured as the Doctor smiled at her. "Hello Pond, how are you feeling now?"  
"As if I'm beating out a samba." She chuckled softly, taking a gulp of air before finally sitting up. Her father moved a little, giving her some space, he laughed though at that little comment, he was sure someone had said that before. "Well, it means you're in working order." He grinned at her, patting her cheek. "On to the next adventure then?" He laughed, getting to his feet and offering her a hand.  
Ella laughed as she took his hand and pulled herself to her feet, "Never stop do you?" Her father turned to her, the look of confusion on his face.  
"Why slow down when there is so much to see? Plus, look at you now… all brand new, new eyes, new hearts… new you." Ella grinned; it was odd how the oddest of men could put a smile on her face. "New… always…" She smiled at him, "Let's go then…"


End file.
